Forum (thing)

An open space in an ancient Roman town or city. The forum was the heart of civic life, where goods were bought and sold, gods worshipped, legal cases heard, and laws made. It was the equivalent of the medieval piazza grande.

"The Forum" (with a capital F) refers to the Forum Romanum, the principal civic space in ancient Rome. However, Rome had numerous fora, each with its own practical role or political message.

Just to give a general idea of the lie of the land, here is a map of central Rome in ancient times.

                             ::::::::::
             ^                :::::4:::::
             |          .::.   ::::::::: 
           North       :::::     ::::::
@                      :::::                 :::
@@ <- 1               :::::        D     :::::::
 @@@               .:::                ::::5::::
  @@@@@@@@@@      .:::.       A       ::::::::::
      @@ 2 @@@    ::3::                  :::::::
        @@  @@@    :::      :::::...           :
          @@@@@@  B        ::::::::::::...   
            @@@           :::::::::::::::::.
            @@@           :::::::::6::::::::.
           @@@             ::::::::::::::::::
          @@@               :::::::::::::::::
        @@@       C            :::::::::::::
       @@@                         :::::::

Landmarks in the map above:

1. River Tiber
2. Insula Tiburina
3. Capitoline Hill
4. Quirinal Hill
5. Oppian Hill
6. Palatine Hill

The fora in Rome can be divided into two groups by age. There were "Republican Fora" and "Imperial Fora". However, the difference between these two groups goes deeper than whether they originated while Rome was a Republic or after it became an Empire.

These fora existed from Rome's earliest days. They evolved, rather than being deliberately planned and constructed.

• Forum Romanum (A on the map above)
• Forum Borarium (B)
• Forum Holitorium (C)

Other fora, such as the Forum Piscinarum (the fish market) did not survive, and their layouts are not known.

Unlike the Republican fora, these were designed spaces, with definite political intents. They were generally vowed during battles, and constructed to glorify both a certain god and the man doing the building. They were grouped together in one area (D on the map above).

                        North
                            \
        _       _           __
       / \_____/ \____    _|  \_      ________
   ___|               \__/  2   \__  |        |
  /                    \ \      /  | |        |_
 |          5          |  |    |     |   3     _|
  \___                 /       |  4  |        |
      |   _____   ____/--------|     |______  |
       \_/     \_/             |     |      '-'
                 |       1     |_____|
                 |_____________|     

                    Forum Romanum

1. Forum Iulium
2. Forum of Augustus
3. Forum of Peace
4. Forum of Nerva
5. Forum of Trajan

• Course notes from "The Topography and Monuments of Ancient Rome", taught at UC Berkeley by Professor Stephen Millar
• The Ancient Roman City, by John Stambaugh (course text)
• The Mute Stones Speak: the Story of Architecture in Italy by Paul MacKendrick (course text)